Jordan helped Lebanese security agents foil a recent series of planned attacks on foreign embassies in Beirut, including the US, British and Jordanian missions, a senior government official told AFP Tuesday.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the attacks were ordered by Osbat Al Ansar, a Lebanon-based Palestinian movement named by US President George W. Bush as one of the 27 targets in his anti-terrorist war.
"Attacks were due to take place against several Arab embassies in Beirut, including the Jordanian one, as well as the embassies of the United States and Britain," the official said.
Jordanian security services, in coordination with their Lebanese counterparts, "succeeded a few days ago in foiling these attacks which had been ordered by Osbat Al Ansar," the official told the agency.
The targeted Arab embassies "are part of the international coalition against terrorism" led by the United States following the September 11 airborne suicide attacks on New York and Washington, the official added.
"Security has been stepped up around all Jordanian embassies abroad as well as the embassies of the other Arab countries targeted," the official said.
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt are among the Arab countries convinced that terrorist suspect Osama bin Laden was behind the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11.
Jordanian Information Minister Saleh Qallab Monday said that Jordan had carried out a real reconsideration of its terrorism and money laundry laws, reported the official news agency, Petra.
Qallab reiterated Jordan's stance of condemnation for all kinds of terrorism, regardless of its source or target.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abdel Ilah Al Khatib reaffirmed “Jordan's firm and principled stand against terrorism," saying such a position had not come about as a result of the recent attacks on the United States, but rather stemmed from Jordan's longstanding policy of fighting terrorism over the years, according to the agency – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
